Improvement in hoes



ATENT i FFICE.

JOSEPH R. HOOD, OF WEDOWEE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 87,228, dated February 13, 1877; application filed December 16, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. Hoon, of Wedowee, in the county of Randolph and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hoes, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to improvements made on the hoe patented by Luna J. Aderhold, No. 105,405, dated July 19, 1870, the character of which will be indicated in the following description and claims.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a rake, which may be attached. Fig. 4 is another form of hoe-blade; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section, showing` the extended bearing for the hoe-blade. f

The same letters are employed in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

A is the handle, on the under side of which is a plate, B, having a series of holes near the inner end, and near the outer end a single ange, having a slight inward inclination, corresponding, approximately, to that of the hoeblade.

In the hoes of this class heretofore known two projections, forming a notch with oppositely-inclined sides, have been employed. The outward inclination of the outer ange prevented its holding the hoe-blade securely, as its edge would ride up on the flange under the strain of the screw-rod. This defect I remedy by the described form of flange; and, besides this, when narrow-headed blades, such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are used, they are secured by the point in the headentering a recess in the plate B, which, as I have no inner flange, may be placed just inside the hoeblade, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Again, the outer end of the plate B extends beyond the ange B1, with a strong stiff shoulder, which extends to the end of the' handle.

In former hoes the liange or bearing for the edge of the blade is at the extreme end of the plate, and the tendency of the draft of the -screw and strain of the blade is to bend the plate outwardly at the point where the screwrod passes through it, thus giving a still greater inclination to the flange, and causing the blade to slip over it. By extending the plate beyond the flange, I transfer the strain to that part ofthe plate which is made staunch enough to resist it.

C is a plate on the upper side of the handle, having a hole for the passage of the screwrod, and a cup with a spherical concavity to receive the semi-spherical base of the nut G, thus forming a bearing for it at any inclination of the rod F.

D is the blade of the hoe, made with two or four cutting-edges. It is held in place against the flange BI and plate B, which is widened at the bearing-point considerably beyond the diameter of the handle, so as to form a broad bearing. It is found that if this bearing is narrow, it either dulls the edge of the blade, if soft, or breaks it, if hard. E is an arm, which engages the plate. It is formed substantially as heretofore known, except that the head is curved and shaped as shown in Fig. 2, so that when in place it shall completely iill the slot in the blade, thereby preventing the catching of' trash 1n the slot, which is one of the practical defects found in working the rakes heretofore made. Another defect is the wearing of the ends of the slot by the pressure and friction of the arm when it engages the blade. To relieve this I apply a double re-enforce, D', on said side of the blade, so as to give the full el'ect when either edge of the blade is attached.

The point of arm E enters one of a series of holes in plate B, and so determines the inclination of the hoe-blade. The screwrod F and nut G confine the blade rigidly against its bearing, and at any preferred angle. By rounding the re-ent'orce, as shown, at the end ofthe slot, I make a more perfect hinge than is attainable with former devices; this the thickness of the plate and double re-enforce at that point enable me to do. In consequence, I have an equally perfect bearing at that point, whatever may be the inclination of the blades.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with the handle and ad justable and reversible hoe-blade, the plate B,

n l l having a single inwardly-inclined flange, Bl, and straight bearing for the blade, extending' laterally ou each side of the handle, so as to afford a broad bearing-surface, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the handle and arm E, the slotted hoc-blade D, having a double ree-enforce, D', with rounded ends to the-slot, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the handle and reversible slotted blade D, the arm E, having a head shaped substantially as shown, filling the slot when the parts are in place.

4. In combination with the handle and reversible blade, the arm E, screw-rod F, seminame to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH R. HOOD. Witnesses:

D. P. HoLLoWAY, A. RUPPERT. 

